Jeffrey King Flaxman

It is with broken hearts that we announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Jeffrey King Flaxman at the age of 48.

Jeffrey lived an exemplary life. He was kind, he was loyal, and he loved his family and friends unabashedly and with all his being. He was the constant in all our lives: no drama, no fuss, just happy-go-lucky Jeff who always had a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone he met.

He was predeceased by his father, James Harold Flaxman, whom he adored, and who adored him back. Jeffrey loved sports and games and had a strong competitive streak whether it was playing horseshoes, badminton, or tennis. He got that from his dad! Like his dad, he was an avid Maple Leafs fan, and sadly, he never got to see them hoist the Stanley Cup. But he never gave up hope for his team. Each birthday card, Christmas card, or phone call ended with his proclamation of “Go Leafs Go!”

Jeffrey had a special, loving bond with his mom, Sonja Flaxman, and her loving companion, Richard Harris. Jeffrey and his mom talked at least once every day. She was always there for him, and he knew that. He loved her like no one else, and he was the light of her life. She was so ridiculously proud of Jeffrey and the life he created for himself. It gave her great joy to know that he was happy.

Family was so important to Jeffrey. Holidays were always spent with his sister, Michele, and her husband, Paul, and their three children, Grant, Rebecca and Dean.  Everyone loved Uncle Jeff beyond words. Family meals will never be quite the same without Jeffrey’s recitation of grace. He loved watching sports with them, playing games and enjoying his sister’s cooking. He always used to say to anyone who would listen, “my sister is the best cook!”

From the time he was born, Jeffrey looked up to his brother, Gregory, and never stopped saying how proud he was of him. They loved talking about hockey and sports and of course, the Maple Leafs. Jeffrey will be deeply missed by his big brother, Gregory, his wife, Linda, and their children, Tammy, Cheyenne (Dave), Michele (Tim) and Greg (Dawn).

Jeffrey had a special relationship with his cousin, Casey, and his Aunt Peggy. He and Casey grew up together and they spent so much time together at Jeff’s childhood home on Magnolia.

Though far away, Jeffrey held a special place in the hearts of his Auntie Carolyn and his cousin, Shannon. Even if he hadn’t talked to them in a while, he never failed to connect with them on their birthdays. Jeff remembered EVERYONE’S birthdays, and we always looked for his card in the mail that ended with his signature proclamation: “Go Leafs Go.”

Jeffrey also had a second family and a wonderful group of friends from St. Jude Community Homes. When you talked to Jeff, you would find out about what was happening on Gerrard Street East; who was responsible for cleaning, for lawn maintenance and what they cooked at their community kitchen gathering. We loved hearing about his friends, Robin and Mike and Matthew and Fred and Cathy (and her cat), and all the others who were such a big part of his life. But without a doubt, Jeffrey’s best friend in the entire world was Wayne. They were friends for 20 years, and as Wayne reminded us, they never had a fight in all those years. They loved music, they loved the Leafs (of course), and they had a special and inseparable bond. They were ALWAYS there for each other. Most days started with them getting together to discuss life and the Leafs (or the Jays or the Raptors, depending on the season) after Jeff had picked up their coffee and a copy of the Toronto Sun for Wayne. There were many times that when Jeff called his mom or his sister to say hello, Wayne would be there in the background, piping in his comments or his clever witticisms.

Jeffrey was blessed to be supported by so many special people in his life. He was more than just a name on a page or on a client roster; he became a friend to everyone he met. St. Jude Community homes provided a safe haven for Jeffrey. It gave all the residents an opportunity to live independently in a supportive and nurturing environment, and for that, his family will be eternally grateful. We would also like to send our heartfelt appreciation to Jeffrey’s team, who were there for him and provided him a network of support. There were many over the years, but we would like to especially thank Dr. Jorge Soni, Naema and Hamida. He had a special relationship with each of them, and they all felt the same way about him.

Jeffrey lived a simple life, but the kind of life that we should all aspire to. He was kind, he was sweet, he was respectful, he never spoke ill of anyone, and in return, he was loved beyond measure. Jeffrey left a big imprint on this world, and that will be his legacy.

We love you, Jeff! Thank you for everything you brought to all our lives.

GO LEAFS GO!

A private family memorial service will take place on Friday, September 18th.

Donations to honour Jeffrey’s memory may be made to St. Jude Community Homes, where Jeffrey found love, support and a community of wonderful friends. https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/id/42420/